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CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

AMELIA

“ W hy do I feel like I’m in high school all over again, being sent to the principal’s office?

” Elliot grumbles as we sit in the dean’s outer office waiting for him to call us in.

He’s sitting on the couch with his elbows on his knees, his eyes firmly fixed on the floor, his shoulders set in a tight line.

I eye him consideringly. “Did you get sent to the principal’s office a lot in high school?”

He sighs, flopping back on the couch. “No. I was a computer nerd with an unfortunate haircut and an obsession with building old-school PC gaming consoles to play late-1990s video games.”

“Nvidia GeForce or ATI radeon?” Gabe asks from his perch on the couch across from us.

“ATI,” Elliot says. “Better image quality, and I’ve always liked an underdog.”

“Respect,” Gabe says, nodding sagely at Elliot.

I snort out a laugh, delighted by them. “Oh, my god, there’s two of you. Makes sense though. They do say girls tend to marry their fathers.”

Gabe rolls his eyes. “Not your father, Ames. Fuck.”

“And I don’t believe I’ve asked you to marry me,” Elliot says, the shrewd tone in his voice telling me that I’ve sufficiently distracted him.

I just shrug. “Details. Besides, it’s the twenty-first century. Maybe I’ll ask you.”

Elliot narrows his eyes. “Nope, you won’t. I’ve got plans for you, Mystery Girl.”

I roll my eyes at him. “Your patriarchy is showing, El. You’re not the boss of me.”

I can practically read his thoughts from the glint in his eyes and the low, warning tone in his voice. An involuntary shiver rolls down my spine. “Oh, no? I’m pretty sure you were singing a different tune last night, Amelia.”

“No. Absolutely not. No way. No, no, no,” Gabe says, sitting straight up on the couch, pointing at me and Elliot. “Whatever this is stops right the fuck now. She’s my fucking sister, dude. Christ.” He makes a big show of flopping back on the couch in disgust.

I scoff, taking Elliot’s hand and lacing my fingers with his.

“As if I haven’t seen you and Molly practically maul each other in every room of your house.

You undress her with your eyes every damn time you look at her.

Call this a taste of your own medicine and grow the fuck up, Gabriel.

I’m a grown ass woman. Sometimes I have sex. ”

“A lot of the time,” Elliot mumbles, eyeing Gabe slyly.

I bark out a laugh, leaning against Elliot, happy to see him more relaxed. “You may have been a nerd in high school, but you sure aren’t one now. Well, I mean, you are, but the really, really hot kind.”

“Are you sure you’re okay to deal with this?

” Elliot asks Gabe, changing the subject.

“I really could just talk to him myself. You don’t have to do this.

I was serious when I said I don’t care about this job.

I just want to teach, and I can do that anywhere.

You don’t have to use up any of your favors on me. ”

I loop my arm through Elliot’s, squeezing.

“Don’t bother, El. You and Gabe are cut from the same cloth.

You both have I’ve got this handled written all over you, and it’s been a while since Gabe has had the opportunity to stand up for me or whatever.

Let him get this one, and you can get the next one. ”

“What she said.” Gabe points at me. “Besides, like I said, you’re part of my family now, and I take care of what’s mine.

What’s the point of having all this money and power if I can’t throw it around a little to save my almost brother-in-law’s job and give an asshole what’s coming to him?

I’ll throw in a new state-of-the art research lab too, but I’ll make it a stipulation that only your classes can use it.

I could even have the school name it after you if you want.

” Gabe shrugs, like spending millions on a computer lab for Elliot’s sole use and enjoyment is just another Monday for him.

I see Elliot open his mouth to protest but stop him before he can. “Don’t bother here, either. You can protest as much as you want, but eventually he’ll build you the damn computer lab and figure out a way to make you think it’s your idea. It’s better to just nod and say thank you.”

Elliot laughs, pressing a kiss to my hair. “I like you guys together. You’re fun.”

Gabe smiles, stretching his arms across the back of the couch. “You’re good people, Elliot. And I’ve never seen Amelia so happy. That’s good enough for me.”

“I’ll always make her happy,” Elliot says, and he and Gabe exchange a look, an entire conversation passing between them that I’m sure has some weird take care of my sister vibes, as if I’m not perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

But I love seeing my two favorite guys making friends too much to needle them about their light misogyny.

“Professor Wyles?” Elliot’s back snaps straight when the dean’s assistant leans her head into the outer office and calls his name. “Dean Miller will see you now.”

We all stand up and she studies us, her eyes widening when they land on Gabe. “I’m sorry; I wasn’t aware there was going to be an extra guest.”

Gabe smiles and winks at her, exuding the golden retriever charm that made him billions. “Let’s not tell the dean, okay? I’m a surprise.”

She nods vigorously. “Of course, Mr. Sullivan. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you.”

“I’ll bet he will,” I mutter as she leads us into the dean’s office. “Asshole.”

Elliot snickers and winks at me, setting a hand on my lower back as we walk into the dean’s office, and she closes the door behind us.

The office is a massive affair, full of dark wood, oriental rugs, and the kind of heavy, pretentious furniture that’s meant to say a very important person works here , but really it just looks ridiculous in the modern building.

Dean Miller’s eyes are focused on his computer in a real you’ll wait for me until I’m good and ready power move, which means he hasn’t noticed Gabe standing here yet.

After a few seconds, Gabe seems to decide enough is enough. “We’re not interrupting you, are we?” he says.

Dean Miller’s head snaps up so quickly I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get whiplash, and his wide-eyed expression and the way he shoots to his feet like he’s in the presence of royalty have satisfaction rolling through me. That’s right, asshole. My brother is more important than you’ll ever be.

“Mr. Sullivan,” he splutters, waving his hands like he has no idea what to do with them.

“To what do we owe this honor?” He hustles around his desk, coming at Gabe with an extended hand that Gabe ignores entirely.

Savage. “If you could just give me a minute. I have some business to attend to with Professor Wyles and Amelia, and then I would be just thrilled to show you all the exciting things we have going on in the computer science department.”

“I don’t believe I will give you a minute, no,” Gabe says, crossing his arms and standing to his full height, eyes never leaving Dean Miller’s. “And I assure you that any business you have with Professor Wyles and Amelia is very much my business too.”

Dean Miller laughs nervously, looking from Gabe to Elliot and me. “Well now, I don’t see how that can be true.”

Gabe smiles casually. “Don’t you?”

“Get him, Gabe,” Elliot mumbles, and I huff out a quiet laugh, knowing whatever is about to happen is worth the price of admission.

Dean Miller opens his mouth then closes it again, his head continuing to swivel between the three of us as if he’s trying to see where the attack is coming from but can’t quite figure it out. “Maybe we should all sit down.”

Gabe shakes his head, the smile never leaving his face.

“I don’t think that will be necessary. We won’t be here long.

It’s come to my attention that you have some sort of problem involving Professor Wyles and my sister.

Seems to me you called them in here to threaten Elliot’s job and Amelia’s place in the PhD program. Is that correct?”

“Well, I’m not sure if you’re aware, Mr. Sullivan, but they violated the school’s very strict non-fraternization policy by carrying on a relationship while Professor Wyles was serving as Amelia’s teacher and her research advisor.

It impedes the learning process that we value here at MassTech, and that simply can’t go unchecked. ”

“Can’t it?” Gabe asks casually. “I mean, they’re both consenting adults.

Professor Wyles has a stellar reputation as a professor and a researcher, and Amelia has had nothing but glowing evaluations from every professor she has worked with this semester.

Doesn’t seem like their relationship is impeding anything at all. ”

Dean Miller’s face turns red, and he clenches his fists at his sides. “Professors cannot date students,” he says through clenched teeth. “Professor Wyles violated that rule, so he is subject to discipline and termination.”

Gabe sucks air through his teeth, shaking his head. “You know, your argument here would be so much more compelling if it weren’t for your penchant to prey just a little too hard on the undergrads, Dean Miller.”

What. The. Fuck.

I glance at Elliot and see the same shocked expression on his face that I know is on my own.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Dean Miller splutters, a vein in his forehead starting to pulse.

Gabe squares his shoulders, staring down the dean.

“Oh, I think I do. Apparently there have been rumblings about you for years. So many that it took me approximately five minutes of digging yesterday to hear them myself. You like them young. Not young enough to break any actual laws but too fucking young. I was sure I would find a million instances of you being a total fucking asshole, but instead I discovered you’re a goddamn predator, and that stops now. ”

Gabe gives the dean an intense look, and if I wasn’t so gobsmacked by what I was hearing, I would laugh at the sweat beading on Dean Miller’s brow and the way he takes a full step back, as if distance can save him from Gabe’s words.

“Effective yesterday at noon, I officially accepted the seat on the MassTech board of trustees that they have been offering to me for, oh, five or so years now. An emergency meeting was convened two hours later, and you have been officially relieved of your duties. The school has retained the services of an independent investigative firm to look into your behavior during your tenure as dean of the College of Computing and will be involving law enforcement to the extent necessary. An interim dean has been appointed effective immediately, and security is outside this office right now to walk your ass out of here. Someone will send your things.” Gabe glances around the tacky office with a dismissive look on his face. “Such as they are.”

“You can’t do this,” Dean Miller says, his eyes darting wildly around the room.

Gabe just smiles. “Oh, I assure you, I can, and I did. You threatened my family, James. No one does that and comes out unscathed. You’re out.

Elliot will hold his tenure here at MassTech for as long as he wants it, and my sister can affiliate herself with this university in any capacity she wants, although I think she has something else in mind, and it’s going to be amazing. ”

Gabe turns and winks at me, and my heart just explodes with love for my brother.

For his love for his family, his goodness, and his core of absolute gooey sweetness.

He’s the best man I’ve ever known. Well, one of the best men.

I glance over at Elliot, and he’s already looking at me, eyes full of love.

I reach out and take his hand, and he laces our fingers together, our skin warming where it touches.

“Now, if we’re done here, my family and I have some places to be. It’s been less than a pleasure speaking to you, James. I hope you have the day you deserve.”

I snicker as Gabe turns and gestures for us to leave the office.

The three of us are silent until we leave the administration building.

Once we’re out in the early spring sunshine, Elliot is the first to speak.

“Remind me to literally never get on your bad side, Gabe. That was…well, I don’t know what that was, but thank you. ”

Gabe shrugs, like what he did in there was nothing. “No thanks necessary. Like I said, we’re family now, and honestly, that asshole needed to go.”

“Did he seriously go after undergrads?” I ask, viscerally horrified by the thought of it.

“Seems that way. He was careful, and at least at this point, it looks like they were all of legal age. I leave the lawyering to my very brilliant and beautiful wife, but it seems to me that when it’s undergrads and the dean of students in a position of extreme power and authority, there have got to be some real issues of consent.

He’ll get what’s coming to him. I’ll make sure of it. ”

“How did you figure this all out so fast?”

Gabe just smiles. “My network is vast, and my resources are extreme. I can do pretty much anything.”

I snort, shoving Gabe back a step. “The billionaire, king of the world thing doesn’t work on me, dude. I once saw you fart into a Tupperware to see if you could save it for science .” I make air quotes around for science and everyone laughs.

Gabe swings an arm around me and plants a kiss on my head. “Love you, Ames. I promised Molly a day of Boston touristy things. You guys want to come? She wants to eat her way through Quincy Market.”

Elliot and I look at each other, and I know we’re both thinking the same thing. “No thanks,” I say, leaning into Gabe and wrapping an arm around his waist. “But dinner tonight before you head back to Pittsburgh?”

“You got it. I’ll catch you guys later.”

“Thanks again,” Elliot says, shaking Gabe’s hand. “I talked a good game, but I like it here. I didn’t really want to leave.”

Gabe smiles. “I know.”

With a wave, he heads in the direction of his rental car.

Elliot wraps an arm around my shoulder, and I wrap both of mine around his waist, burying my face in his chest and inhaling his spicy scent that soothes me right down to my bones.

I want to talk to him about what just happened and what comes next—and so many other things because he is my favorite person and I love the sound of his voice.

But there is time enough for that. Right now, there’s one thing I want most of all, and I know he feels the same.

“Home?” Elliot murmurs into my ear.

“Absolutely, yes. Take me home, El. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”